EarthRef.org Reference Database (ERR)
Development and Maintenance by the EarthRef.org Database Team

Detailed Reference Information
Sokolik 2002
Sokolik, I.N. (2002). The spectral radiative signature of wind-blown mineral dust: Implications for remote sensing in the thermal IR region. Geophysical Research Letters 29: doi: 10.1029/2002GL015910. issn: 0094-8276.

This study investigates how the loading and composition of atmospheric dust affect IR radiances observed by satellite narrowband and high-resolution sensors. To compute monochromatic radiances accounting for multiple scattering and absorption by aerosols and atmospheric gases, we employed a new radiative transfer code which combines the line-by-line algorithm and discrete ordinate technique. New dust optical models required for such computations were developed for the representative mineral mixtures. We demonstrate that dust decreases the brightness temperature observed by satellite sensors depending mainly on the dust burden and composition, though the sensitivity to the composition differs between the satellite sensors. We found that mineral dust has a unique radiative signature (termed here a negative slope) which separates the effect of dust from that of clouds and gases. We conclude that dust must be accounted for in atmospheric correction algorithms if the retrievals of the sea surface temperature and atmospheric gaseous species from the thermal IR radiances are to be of high accuracy.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Atmospheric Composition and Structure, Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801), Atmospheric Composition and Structure, Transmission and scattering of radiation, Exploration Geophysics, Remote sensing
Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
http://www.agu.org/journals/gl/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
2000 Florida Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20009-1277
USA
1-202-462-6900
1-202-328-0566
service@agu.org
Click to clear formClick to return to previous pageClick to submit